Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-26


A STAR reporter encountered Senator Butler In
the city to-day, and he was severely criticising
the management OF the Virginia Midland Railroad,
the basis OF his criticism being the recent acci-
near Orange Courthouse.
''Were you On the train, general?" inquired THE
STAR reporter.
"Yes; and the accident resulted from the most
fnexcusabte criminal carelessnesss- We had very,
very narrow escape FROM terrible disaster"
what appeared to be the cause?"
swell, do not know with certainty. 1t occurred
between two telegraph stations, within a half
mile OF one at Orange C. H. and five or six miles
from another at Raptdan Station between 5 and s
O'Clock in the morning in broad daylight The
train from the White sulphur Springs, on which
was passenger, ran into fr.igh' train coming
up from Rapidan station, both moving on the
same track IN opposite Gliec,i or course the
fault Will be charged 20 some subordiuate, but
nobody is to blame but the railroad authorities
themselves. The passengers ought TO nave been
forwarded III at least three hours; whereas we
We're Kept there niae or ten hours, without the
slightest regard for our comfort or convenience"
''Were there any caSualt.es?"
''The fireman and engineer Of the freight train
were Injured the former, learned, very seriously
Our engineer OF the passenger train savea hlinse
by Ju,IpIng from his engine before the collision"
''io wat do you attribute these frequent rail-
road accidents?"
'We.l, think there are several causes In the
first place. too much red tape in the so-cal!ed sys-
tea management. The responsible management
is too Tar removed from the operations, and have
not Sutflcent familiarity With the empiOye Or con
ditionS. In the second place, railroad companies
many Of them, WORK their employees to death on
Inadequate pay. Some plan ought to be devised
which would prevent any company from working
Its employees more than twelve hours consecu-
lively. Some OF them, learn, run their CHEERS
dremen, and conductors sixteen or seventeen
hours cOnSecutively without inJermiSsiOn for rest
ing. human nature can't stand ii. The result is,
the poor man goes to sleep Ol duty, aid hen an
accident occurs Is made the scapesoat. l, is in-
l.I.h
To be held to u stric;e. accountability"
'What remedy would you suggest o.
81 have not thought OF one. l opposed and and
because among other reasons l thought,
and still thinS, Congress- has no jurisdietion.
we'll be made useful and OF some benefit,
and am hot sure II an amendment TO that law
might not be framed which would accomplish Il
any railroad company to require more than ten
or twelve hours consecutive work from any en-
p.oyes engagei IN running trains: Too many lives
are at stake TO allow such parstmon1oUsneSS TO-
ward those operatives who have their lives
In their keeping Or course railroad accidents are
unavoidable in many cases, but, this one near
and would never have happened under Efficient
and proper management. 1presume one or two
llu on them, and that IS about the only Sat!Sfac-
tiun that will be attempted to be vOuchsalei"
senator Butler was very emphatic in the opinion
that tae Interstate law should be amended
so as to protect the travelling public against reck
less and careless management OF railroads. 'TThe
Government, he said, regulates steamboat travel,
prescribing now many passengers a vessel may
carry, and other regulations, and as long as We
have the interstate law we might as we'll make 1t
protect the passengers OF railroads." The senator
remarked that he would, at the coming session Of
Congress, oner an amendment TO the Interstate
bill 80 as to provide for projection OF the travel
ling public.
PRESIDENT cLEv8LAND'S STRENGTH IN THE SOUTH.
The conversation turned into a political channel,
and Senator Butler, speaking OF President Cleve-
land, said that his denomination next year by the
national democratic convention is certain If the
President lives "Why, there is but one sentiment
in the party" he continued, "and that Is In sup
port Of the President. The grumblerS are too few
to amount to anything. The South Is solid for
Cleveland and he will be reelected In my opinion
Blaine Will be the republican nominee and Cleve-
land will defeat him again II the present general
prosperity continues until the next Presidential
eiOcti0n there Is no telling what the vote for
Cleveland will be- Clevelands great strength lies
in the confidence the business interests have in
him. He Is safe, conservative and cautious. All
classes of business men, Including farmers, feel
that ne Is q sale man at the head Of the govern
ment, and they will continue him there. was
recently IN party OF Northern capltalists-all re-
publlcanS, and though we did not talk politics
they let 1aI complimentary remarks about this
administration. Now hiIe such men might not
vote Tor him. they perhaps would not vote against
him. Their expressions Indicate negative force
that would count at the polls"